VRS won't start, need urgent help please???

BB78 · 27-04-2008, 17:33

Can someone please help diagnose this problem!
I've got an 04/54 Fabia VRS that I've never had a problem with till now. For the last 4 months I've not been allowed to drive; to start with I was starting the car, leaving it running for a bit or just driving back & forth in a private parking area, 2 months ago it wouldn't start and about a month ago the central locking stopped working. I put all of this down to the battery but still not able to drive did nothing about it.
DVLA finally gave me my license back on Friday & I desperately need to get the car started! The "magic eye" on the battery is black & it won't jump start so I thought it needed charging. I can't get to the bolt to undo the clamp to get the battery out so disconnected the battery yesterday and took the charger out to the car with extension leads. When I connected the charger it said the battery had 50% power, went up to 75% after awhile then back down to 50%.
Reconnected the battery after several hours but still no joy, when I turn the ignition all I get is a ticking sound and the trip display flashes. The central locking does now work (very slugish) and that also says to me the main problem is the battery but on the dash I get the ABS & Traction Control lights on & the Brake system warning light flashes with 3 warning beeps which the book says check the brake fluid! I can't easily see the brake fluid reservoir or a min./max level indicator but I took the top off & there is plenty of fluid in there & it was last changed in Nov. 06. I also reset the service interval display a couple of months ago but that can't be causing the problem; can it??

Can someone PLEASE help!! Four months of not driving has killed me so I'm desperate to get on the road but more than that I've got an appointment on Tuesday that I CANNOT miss & have no other way of getting there if I don't get the car started!!
I can't get the battery out & I can't take the charger out to it today cause it keeps raining!!

sharkrider · 27-04-2008, 18:06

still sounds like a dead battery to me... maybe get a new one?

BB78 · 27-04-2008, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharkrider

still sounds like a dead battery to me... maybe get a new one?

Only problem is I can't get anywhere to get a battery, I haven't got time for one to be delivered & even if I do get one I can't get the old one out??

(Have Skoda gone "safety first" mad by making the bolt to the clamp so damn hard to get to??!!)

Joe_N · 27-04-2008, 18:28

is there any chance you can bump start it to get it going?

oskah · 27-04-2008, 18:37

I would think the Battery is going to be shagged.....They dont like being left in a discharged state for very long...
A Jump start might be the way to go and take it for a drive for a bit to try and charge it up. Dont know how you would reset all the lights or whether they will reset when the battery is charged but I am sure someone will be along soon who will know

cjb · 27-04-2008, 18:42

Your battery is flat, and probably knackered too. Can you not get someone to pick one up for you?

Mouse · 27-04-2008, 18:51

Battery duff. Get yourself to B&Q to get a £60 socket set which will cover all your motoring needs for life (Magnusson brand) and enable you to get the retaining clamp off. Then take battery out and catch a taxi or whatever means of transport available to you to source a replacement. Best of Luck.

dxg · 27-04-2008, 19:06

RAC will come out and can sell and fit a ready-charged battery there and then. Don't know what they charge for non-members, though...

They have done this for me before and, as a member, the the call out was free and the battery was actually pretty sensibly priced!

lfc958 · 27-04-2008, 19:54

Sounds like a duff cell in your battery, this is usually the main reason for it not holding charge.

Had it happen to me twice in previous cars. one of them was a brand new battery purchased from Halfrauds, within t3 hrs of it being on car it had no charge left, they replaced ang this was fine.

BB78 · 28-04-2008, 11:46

After an hour of jumping it off another car managed to get it started and went for a half hour drive, everything was fine until I got back; parked up & turned the engine off... tried restarting and nothing! Battery is definetly knackered!

Now Im struggling to find what to replace it with?? It says:
AKUMA C2 UM5 12V 70ah 340A DIN 570A EN/SAE 1JO 915 105 AE

Do I just want a 12V 70ah battery? Lead acid? gel battery? or as the car is the VRS do I need a particular battery? and has anyone got any idea on price? Being quoted £97.43 from Skoda!

sharkrider · 28-04-2008, 16:58

sure you can get one cheaper than £97....

batteries differ massively nowadays.... a normal lead acid battery should be fine, but I would think it would need to be rated much more that 70ah! just go to any cheap place (halfrauds/any tyre place ect) and they will be able to look up the spec you need......

personally, if I was you, I try a car parts place on the net, see if you can get one delivered to your house in a couple of days... less hassle then, usually cheaper too!

27-04-2008, 17:33	#1
BB78 Briskodian Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3 Thanks: 6 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? Can someone please help diagnose this problem! I've got an 04/54 Fabia VRS that I've never had a problem with till now. For the last 4 months I've not been allowed to drive; to start with I was starting the car, leaving it running for a bit or just driving back & forth in a private parking area, 2 months ago it wouldn't start and about a month ago the central locking stopped working. I put all of this down to the battery but still not able to drive did nothing about it. DVLA finally gave me my license back on Friday & I desperately need to get the car started! The "magic eye" on the battery is black & it won't jump start so I thought it needed charging. I can't get to the bolt to undo the clamp to get the battery out so disconnected the battery yesterday and took the charger out to the car with extension leads. When I connected the charger it said the battery had 50% power, went up to 75% after awhile then back down to 50%. Reconnected the battery after several hours but still no joy, when I turn the ignition all I get is a ticking sound and the trip display flashes. The central locking does now work (very slugish) and that also says to me the main problem is the battery but on the dash I get the ABS & Traction Control lights on & the Brake system warning light flashes with 3 warning beeps which the book says check the brake fluid! I can't easily see the brake fluid reservoir or a min./max level indicator but I took the top off & there is plenty of fluid in there & it was last changed in Nov. 06. I also reset the service interval display a couple of months ago but that can't be causing the problem; can it?? Can someone PLEASE help!! Four months of not driving has killed me so I'm desperate to get on the road but more than that I've got an appointment on Tuesday that I CANNOT miss & have no other way of getting there if I don't get the car started!! I can't get the battery out & I can't take the charger out to it today cause it keeps raining!!

27-04-2008, 18:06	#2
sharkrider rider of sharks Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cumbria Posts: 3,677 Thanks: 186 Thanked 89 Times in 77 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? still sounds like a dead battery to me... maybe get a new one? __________________ Fiat Grande Punto Sporting (158 bhp 314 lbs/ft) in Red.... Furby vRS , black magic,passenger airbag de-activation switch, (now gone, but not forgotten!)

27-04-2008, 18:28	#4
Joe_N Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 88 Thanks: 4 Thanked 14 Times in 10 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? is there any chance you can bump start it to get it going? __________________ '56 Fabia vRS - Diamond Silver, Seat sport brace, Whiteline RARB, Powerflex & Cupra bushes, pd160 intake, SMIC venting, LCR splitter, mkII vRS badging, ' I can't believe it's not xenon' bulbs from ebay

27-04-2008, 18:37	#5
oskah Briskodian Join Date: May 2005 Location: N wales Posts: 98 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? I would think the Battery is going to be shagged.....They dont like being left in a discharged state for very long... A Jump start might be the way to go and take it for a drive for a bit to try and charge it up. Dont know how you would reset all the lights or whether they will reset when the battery is charged but I am sure someone will be along soon who will know __________________ Seat Leon 110TDI Fabia vrs black magic

27-04-2008, 18:42	#6
cjb Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Walsall Posts: 1,302 Thanks: 61 Thanked 71 Times in 68 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? Your battery is flat, and probably knackered too. Can you not get someone to pick one up for you? __________________ The Devil may care, but I don't mind.

27-04-2008, 18:51	#7
Mouse Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 400 Thanks: 33 Thanked 28 Times in 27 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? Battery duff. Get yourself to B&Q to get a £60 socket set which will cover all your motoring needs for life (Magnusson brand) and enable you to get the retaining clamp off. Then take battery out and catch a taxi or whatever means of transport available to you to source a replacement. Best of Luck. __________________ Black Magic Fabia v/RS *Skoda Fabia VRS ! Practical & Exciting !*

27-04-2008, 19:06	#8
dxg Briskodian Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 133 Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? RAC will come out and can sell and fit a ready-charged battery there and then. Don't know what they charge for non-members, though... They have done this for me before and, as a member, the the call out was free and the battery was actually pretty sensibly priced! __________________ .

27-04-2008, 19:54	#9
lfc958 Hello New Car Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Kent Posts: 4,000 Thanks: 0 Thanked 24 Times in 24 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? Sounds like a duff cell in your battery, this is usually the main reason for it not holding charge. Had it happen to me twice in previous cars. one of them was a brand new battery purchased from Halfrauds, within t3 hrs of it being on car it had no charge left, they replaced ang this was fine. __________________ Steve Bye Bye Fabia - Its Gone to a new home Hello 500 ( Sept 08 )

28-04-2008, 11:46	#10
BB78 Briskodian Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3 Thanks: 6 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? After an hour of jumping it off another car managed to get it started and went for a half hour drive, everything was fine until I got back; parked up & turned the engine off... tried restarting and nothing! Battery is definetly knackered! Now Im struggling to find what to replace it with?? It says: AKUMA C2 UM5 12V 70ah 340A DIN 570A EN/SAE 1JO 915 105 AE Do I just want a 12V 70ah battery? Lead acid? gel battery? or as the car is the VRS do I need a particular battery? and has anyone got any idea on price? Being quoted £97.43 from Skoda!

28-04-2008, 16:58	#11
sharkrider rider of sharks Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cumbria Posts: 3,677 Thanks: 186 Thanked 89 Times in 77 Posts	Re: VRS won't start, need urgent help please??? sure you can get one cheaper than £97.... batteries differ massively nowadays.... a normal lead acid battery should be fine, but I would think it would need to be rated much more that 70ah! just go to any cheap place (halfrauds/any tyre place ect) and they will be able to look up the spec you need...... personally, if I was you, I try a car parts place on the net, see if you can get one delivered to your house in a couple of days... less hassle then, usually cheaper too! __________________ Fiat Grande Punto Sporting (158 bhp 314 lbs/ft) in Red.... Furby vRS , black magic,passenger airbag de-activation switch, (now gone, but not forgotten!)

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